


Arkytior - An Unearthly Child

by TheTimeTravellingHufflepuff



Series: Leap [3]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-08 15:09:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15932951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTimeTravellingHufflepuff/pseuds/TheTimeTravellingHufflepuff
Summary: After the events of "Leap", the Doctor finds himself assaulted by the word "Rose", promptly deduces that his grand-daughter is in perilous danger, and decides to go and look for her.





	Arkytior - An Unearthly Child

**Author's Note:**

> I just realised I never post this ficlet though I have written it nearly a year ago. well... Here it is.
> 
> (also, I reeeeally need to write the third part of "Leap" - which should be called "Roses"...)

_The Doctor closed the doors of the TARDIS and collapsed in his seat. It was strange but he felt like it had been months, maybe years, since him and Clara had said their goodbyes instead of the mere minute it had really been. Actually, he felt years older than he had been before he entered the TARDIS. No, he was older, he just knew it. Just to be sure he asked his ship to run some tests. Tests which confirmed it._

_What had happened between leaving Clara in the middle of Glasgow and now?_

_And why couldn't he stop thinking about bloody roses? What did have ruddy flowers to do with anything? Rose. Rose. Why did the word couldn't leave his mind? Oh._

_Rose was the human word for Arkytior which had been the real name, the birth name, of Susan. Did something happened to his grand-daughter? Was she safe now?_

_Before he could reason with himself, he had set the coordinates to the last place and time he saw her._

 

*

 

It wasn't London in 2164. This place wasn't remotely near it. It wasn't even in the proximity of the Milky Way. It was The Garden.

The Doctor sighed. Will the TARDIS let him go where and when he intended to, some day? He loved the Old Girl but her habits to do as she pleased was quite annoying sometimes.

 

“Why in Omega's name did you think I needed to come here? I doubt this planet as ever seen a bit of trouble and trouble's where you send me every time.”

 

Of course, the ship didn't answered vocally but he heard a seemingly amused mechanical purr.

 

“Yeah, yeah, you have your reasons, I know.”

 

Well, since he was here, why not go and visit a little bit. He would have preferred to go directly to Susan, but he had a time machine, after all, he had all the time in the world for a little stroll through the alleys of the Garden.

It had been nearly a millennium and a half, give or take a few centuries, since he came to the place. If he remembered correctly, he had been travelling with Steven the last time he visited the planetoid. It seemed only his more mature-looking incarnations were interested in the place, for he really appreciated the TARDIS taking him here, now that he was back. He had forgot how beautiful and restful the place was; his younger-looking selves had favoured the Eye of Orion when they needed a little rest time. Maybe it was an old-man thing. Or maybe it was related to Susan. His grand-daughter, his Arkytior.

He remembered clearly now. The last time he came here – and sweared to never come back – he had nearly thrown away his resolves and had been seconds from going after her. The guilt of leaving her in a devastated time and place had been nearly intolerable but he had resisted the impulse to go and take her with in the TARDIS once again. But he had also promised himself that when the time would comes he would be here for her and that nothing, not even Rassilon, would be able to stop him from protecting his grand-daughter

It seemed the time had come.

 

*

 

How had he been able to live without his Susan for nearly two millennia? How had he been able to spend days, even weeks, without thinking about her? His past selves had been morons. What could have been more important that his only grand-child? His only remaining family in this universe – that he was aware of. Well, there was River still, and he was sure that if he wanted to, he could go and see Amy and Rory, but it wasn't the same thing. They weren't Timelords. And, though he deeply loved River, he had only marry her to save the universe; he loved her but never was in love with her. Had he ever truly been in love? He wasn't sure. He had been very fond of the mother of his son, just like he had been of his three others spouses, but in love? Maybe a little bit with Koschei? But it had passed over the centuries.

Anyway, it wasn't important; what was important was his need to be sure that Susan was safe. Once again, he promised himself that he would do anything to be assured his grand-daughter would be safe and sound as long as he was alive.

He came back to the TARDIS, determined to go to London in 2164; but not before, using a pair of secateurs he found in one of his pocket, he cut a perfect rose bloom and fix it on his coat. There, a reminder of the most important person in the universe.

 

***

 

It still wasn't the place he had intended to go to. And the person that was facing him wasn't the one he wanted to see more than anything. At least it was London; he just happened to be a little more than a century and a half early. It wasn't that bad but, what on Gallifrey, was he doing in the basement of a shop? And who was the woman – Timelady, he realised – who was stopping him from helping the young girl who was about to be killed by Autons?

 

“Let me go!”, he growled.

“I can't, dear. It's not your place to save this particular human. Or, it is, but not you-you.”

 

He was about to ask the Timelady to explain herself when he felt it; he was already here. A past version of himself; one he didn't remembered a lot about. The one that emerged from the War. Why couldn't he remember anything about his ninth, or rather tenth, self? Or how he came to change into the next one? One he apparently forgot a lot about too. Was it to do with the missing time between Clara goodbye and him entering the TARDIS? But how?

He watched as his former self took the girl's hand and said to her to run.

 

“Let me go.”, he repeated.

“Well, certainly. Now that you can't go and unravel the timelines.”

“What are you talking about? And who are you?”

“Of course, you don't remember me. I'm a bit hurt, I have to say. Call me Missy.”

“What's your real name? Or your title. 'Cause that's not a Gallifreyan name.”

“Can't you guess? You're usually more prompt to recognise me. Though this incarnation seems to be a little slow.”

 

It couldn't be, could it? He, well she, was trapped on Gallifrey, right? But at the same time, she always had been able to escape from nearly everywhere, so it wasn't so impossible. And there was only one person in the entire universe that was able to irritate him as the Timelady standing in front of him was.

 

“Master.”

“Mistress, please. Though Missy is preferable, thank you very much.”

“What are you doing here? I will stop whatever silly plan you got.”

“Oh, dear Doctor, how you misjudge me; I am but an innocent lady who just happened to be here when you needed someone to stop you putting the Universe in danger.”

 

Yes, she still was as irritating as she had always been.

 

“The truth, now.”

“It is the truth, you silly sausage. Would you have gotten to miss Tyler first, the universe would have ended being in perilous danger. Again. I'm truly innocent. Though I may or may not be a little be responsible for the presence of the Nestene Conscience in London. But don't fret, your gorgeous former self will solve the situation without a problem.

 

“I need to help him.”

“Oh no, you don't. You won't go near him or his new pet. Not now, not ever. I'm serious, Doctor. Now tell me, what are _you_ doing here?”

“Why would I tell you?”

“Because I know that you have years missing from your memories. And I know why. I also happen to know what's missing. _And_ the Timelords are looking and will do worse if you ever approach miss Tyler.”

“Why is she important?”

“Can't say. Really, I don't get it, she's just another monkey. So, will you tell me what you are doing here?”

 

The Doctor sighed. He really didn't want to tell her; but it concerned her.

 

“I tried to go to Susan, but for whatever reason, my TARDIS brought me here.”

“Why do you want to go to Arkytior? Why now?”

“There's a word that haven't leave my head for days. And I think that it's a warning. I fear that Susan is in danger.”

“What word?”

“”Rose”. The human word for “Arkytior”.”

“I know what “Rose” means, thank you. I'm not stupid. And it's enough for you to think our grand-daughter is in danger?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I'm pretty sure that it as nothing to do with Arkytior. In fact, I know that it as nothing to do with her. Didn't even thought that it could have another signification?”

“What, that I suddenly want to become a florist?”

“That, or it's about someone named “Rose”. Maybe a human girl?”

“I don't know any “Rose”.”

 

Why was she so difficult?

 

“Of course, you don't. So, Arkytior, where is she? You always refused to tell me, though she is as much my grand-daughter as she is yours.”

 

Yes, she was. And he will always regret not telling his friend when he fled Gallifrey with their grand-child without telling her. His son and Koschei's daughter had died not long before and he left without a word. He should have been here for his best friend and instead he left her, him, alone and all but kidnap her, his, only family. No surprise, Koschei became the Master and spend the following centuries trying to get revenge on his former best friend. And if it hadn't been enough, when he had asked the Doctor what had happened to their grand-daughter, he had refused to tell him, pretending it was to protect the girl. But now he would be able to change that.

 

“I left her in London, 2164.”

“Isn't it when the Daleks invaded Earth? Are you telling me you left our grand-daughter, our _only_ grand-daughter, in a Dalek-infested place? I could kill you!”

“No, the Daleks had been defeated by then.”

“Still! It wasn't a place for a young Timelady. She was just a little kid.”

“She was in love!”

 

If she was screaming, so would he.

 

“What?”

“She fell in love with a young human when we were there but told him she couldn't stay because she had to care for me. So I locked her out of the TARDIS.”

“You abandoned her with a man you knew next to nothing. A man who would live, at the very best, a tiny century. You realise that she would have to see the man she loved getting old and die, right? You know what it would do to her? As I already said, she was a little kid, and you put her through that. You disgust me. Even I wouldn't be that cruel.”

“Don't you think I never thought about it? That I never regretted it? But I wanted her to be happy. And I know she would have been miserable if I had make her leave David.”

“You take every human that happen to say as little as “hello” to you, in your TARDIS, but you didn't think to take this David with you? How stupid are you?”

 

Oh.

 

“I didn't... I...”

“No, you didn't.”

 

It was Missy's turn to sigh.

 

“So, London, 2164? We'll take my TARDIS and...”

“No, mine. I refuse to leave the old girl.”

“Then materialise her inside mine; you know my ship is more reliable than yours. It's incredible than you're able to go anywhere in it. Plus, contrary to you, I passed my licence.”

 

The Doctor tried to protest but his friend hushed him.

 

“Don't start. You want to find Arkytior, I want to find Arkytior; we take my TARDIS or we'll still be trying to get to our grand-daughter in a thousand years.”

 

He hated to agree with her but he had to admit that the old girl was, in fact, not the most reliable ship in the universe, and if Susan was in danger, maybe he needed to concede this to Missy.

 

“Let me materialise the TARDIS inside yours. And I still need you to tell me what happened to me and what memories I'm missing.”

 

*

 

Finding Susan was simpler said than done. Missy's TARDIS reached London, 2164 without a problem; it was once they were there, that the search became more difficult. The city was in ruins and survivors were few in the streets, more of the humans had fled the town as soon as possible. It appeared that Susan and David had done so too. They had tried to ask around if somebody knew them and where they went but people were suspicious in those dark times.

 

“Can't you feel her?”, asked the Doctor to Missy. “You always were a better telepath than I was.”

“For the millionth time, no, I can't. Weren't you supposed to create a vortex energy detector to localise her?”

“I...”

“Yes? Don't tell me. You managed to failed and had ended with a sentient rice cooker or sonic shovel?”

“A _semi_ -sentient _waffle iron_ that double as a automatic pan flute. That plays _Für Elise_. In a loop.”

“You really are useless.”

“Back at you. So what, now?”

 

*

 

The Doctor managed to convince Missy to ask his TARDIS for some assistance. Miraculously, they ended in Susan's house.

 

“Grand-father!”, cried Susan as the Doctor exited the ship.

 

She threw herself in his arms.

 

“My child.”

 

He barely managed to get the words to leave his mouth before his voice got strangled by a sob. How he missed her and how he was relieved to see her safe and well.

 

“What, no hug for me? I'm only your other grand-father, well, grand-mother at the moment, after all.”, said Missy with a falsely joyous tone, but clearly moved to see her grand-daughter after nearly two millennia.

 

Susan left the Doctor arms and ran to Missy and wrapped her into a choking hug, weeping.

 

“What a beautiful young woman you became, my dear Arkytior.”

“I missed you so much. Both of you.”

“And us, you.”

 

The Doctor watched his grand-daughter and Missy hugging and crying; he then realised that he had been cruel, refusing all this centuries to revealed Susan's location to the Master. He wasn't the only grand-parent Susan had lost and missed; his past selves really were morons. But now, the three of them were reunited and he was happy about it, and though he still didn't trust Missy, he knew she would never hurt their grand-daughter.

The two women were still holding each other when the front door opened and David entered the little house.

 

“Sue? You're home?”, he called.

“Ye... Yes, David.”, she responded trying to stop crying.

“Why are you crying?”, he asked as he entered the room. “Oh. Who's that?”

“They're my grand-parents who I haven't seen in a very long time. I'm just happy to see them.”

“Glad to meet you.”, smiled David.

“Grand-mother, this is David Campbell, my husband. David, this is my grand-mother, Kos...”

“Missy.”, interrupted the older woman.

“Missy, sorry. And of course, you already met, my grand-father, the Doctor.”

“Er... I met one of your grand-father, and yes, he called himself the Doctor, but it wasn't him.”

“Oh. Yes. The is something I probably should have told you sooner.”

 

*

 

It turned out that Susan had never told David that she wasn't human and came from a race of beings that were able to change their entire appearance – and even their gender – under dire circumstances. It took some time for him to believe his wife's and her grand-parents' explanations but after they showed him the TARDIS, he had to accepted that it was true. Obviously, he knew that aliens were real, they had come on Earth for more than a century now, and himself had fought against the Daleks, but learning that his wife wasn't human was somehow different. Nonetheless, he decided that it didn't make any difference; he loved Susan whatever her species, and he was glad that she couldn't die so easily. So what? She might change her appearance? He didn't love her for her looks. He was a bit concerned that she could, some day, turn male but he preferred not to think about the possibility at the moment.

 

*

 

“Arkytior seems happy. And that David isn't that bad. For a human.”, said Missy quietly. “And no danger here. Just as I said.”

“What you haven't said, though, is what you know of my missing memories.”

“All in good time, my dear Doctor.”

“You never intended to tell me, did you? I should have know that I couldn't trust you.”

“I will. I promise. But for now I can't. Well, I could but then you'd be able to put the universe in danger, once again, and I am quite bored of it. Can't you just enjoy your reunion with your grand-daughter?”

“Are you absolutely sure she's not in danger?”

“Yes! Do you really think that I would lie about it? I know I have a certain reputation, but I would never knowingly let Arkytior face danger. She's the only family I have left, for Rassilon's sake!”

”You still have me, too.”, the Doctor responded quietly.

“Do I?”

“You know you do. As long as you don't try to cause trouble or attempt to kill me.”

“My dear Doctor, you know I never really wanted to kill you. It's merely a way to keep you on your toes.”

 

*

 

The Doctor was surprised to see Missy being nice towards David. The both of them were talking and the Timelady hadn't once threatened or even insulted the human. She was even laughing at something he said. What a strange vision.

 

“Grand-father? Can I talk to you?”

“Of course, Susan. What is it?”

“Er... Could we go somewhere else? Maybe in the TARDIS?”

 

The Doctor was a little worried by his grand-daughter question, but nodded and started walking in the direction of the time ship.

 

“What's bothering you, Susan?”, he asked as the doors closed behind them.

“I feel horrible, grand-father. I know I should be happy with David. I am happy with him, but... I miss Gallifrey. Earth is not fun any more.”

“You want to go home, don't you?”

“Yes. But I can't. I love David. I can't go and leave him. But at the same time, I don't really want to stay and watch him grow old and die. I could leave several millennia and... he's only human.”

“I believe you could both go to Gallifrey. You don't know it, but I actually have a human friend living there. Her name's Leela. She travelled with me a long time ago. Last time I saw her she was acting Castellan. Before that, she was the personal bodyguard for Romana, another friend of mine, and Lady President of Gallifrey. Though I don't know if she still is President, these days. The thing is, Leela has lived on Gallifrey for centuries, now.”

“Does it mean that David would be able to come with us, if he wanted? He could live there? He could live longer, too?”

“Yes, in theory. I can't promise you anything without knowing who is President at the time. But I could use my influence as a former President.”

 

Susan looked at her grand-father, agape.

 

“You... were Lord President?”

“Twice, actually. Didn't liked it, fled both times.”

“I should go and talk to David.”

 

*

 

Though she had been pleasant towards the human, Missy hadn't been happy when David had agreed to accompany his wife to Gallifrey, therefore boarding her TARDIS. She liked him enough – “for a monkey” – but wasn't pleased with a human on her ship. But more than anything, she didn't wanted to lose her grand-daughter ever again. So, she smiled and welcomed him aboard.

 

“You never told me where Gallifrey was now.”, remarked the Doctor. “I wanted to go look for it but I didn't know where to start, and my TARDIS wasn't helpful.”

“Shocking. When has this old thing ever been helpful, I ask you.”

“The Old Girl is plenty helpful. So. Gallifrey. Where is it?”

“Same spatial and temporal coordinates. Well, when I say same coordinates, what I really mean is: it's in another universe.”, Missy answered as she entered coordinates on her console. “Here we go! Whee!”

 


End file.
